Pearl-button machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

R. H. LINDSAY. PEARL BUTTON MACHINE.

No. 553,500. Patented Jan. 21, 1896.

I IWVEWT-R @ivy YM WITWESSES K Zik/7M Bwm 'UNITED STATES ATENT Fries..

ROBE-RT II. LINDSAY, OI" DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

PEARL-BUTTQN MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of `LettersPateicit No. 5453,500,datedd'anuary 21, 1896.

Application filed J' une 25, 1894.

To all whom it' may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT II. LINDsAY, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Detroit, inthe county of Wayne and State of Michigan,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pearl-Button Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates me re especially to that class of machines havingrevolving tables provided with chucks for holding the blanks ofunfinished buttons during the process of making.

Heretofore, as far as I am aware, an operator was required to giveconstant attention to one machine, it being necessary to put the blanksout of which the buttons were made in. place by hand, while the drillingand other operations necessary to complete the button required theactual handling of some device. constantly.

The object of my improvement is to render this constant personalattention unnecessary by the substitution of automatic devices that willplace the blanks in their proper places in the chucks, drill thenecessaryholes, complete the making of the button and remove the samefrom the machine, securing thereby a large saving in time and labor. Iattain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation. of the niachine; Fig.2 is a plan or top view. y Fig. 8 is a side View of cam and adjustingwedges,which regulate the reach of the drills. Fig. 4 is a section of achuck, showing the free bottom and pin which lift the button forremoval. Fig. 5.is a section of the revolving table, showing the leverand free pawl or sliding bolt which engages with the ratchet on theunder side of said table. Fig. 6 is a view of the under side of a chuck,showing the pins that operate with the wedges on the stationary tableto. open the jaws of the chucks when about to receive a blank or releasea button. Fig. 7 is a view of the wedge-shaped piece which opens a chuckwhen the button is about to be removed. Fig. Sis a view of the wedgedevice which opens a chuck when a blank is about to be deposited in thesame. Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of the brush which removes the buttonwhen finished, showing its operating parts.

Serial No. 515,681. (No model.)

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A is a revolving table provided with any required number of chucks D,arranged at equal distances from each other in recesses around itscircumference provided for such purpose, Fig. 2. These chucks are splitlon- 'g'itudinally and the parts hinged at one end, so that a circulardepression or bore at about the center of each, designed to receive andhold the blanks, can be enlarged by opening the jaws of the chuck forthe reception of the blank and removal of the nished button. Theseoperations are performed by wedgeshaped cams V V', fixed on thebed-plate B underneath the chucks at the points required, passingbetween pins y, proj eeting downward, one from each jaw of a chuck,through slots in the underlying parts of the revolving table. .'The camV', which acts for the removal of the button, has an additional sub-cams' on its top, which comes in contact with a pin c', projecting downwardfrom the center of a free bottom a, fitted in the bore c and resting onan annular bearing s, on which bottom the blank or button rests, itbeing a necessary support to prevent breakage in drilling. When thebutton is free by the opening of the chuck-jaws, it is pushedv up abovethe plane of the chuck and table A, the free bottom being lifted by thecontact of the subcam s with the pin c', and the button is then caughtand swept off into a proper receptacle by the brush l). A small spiralspring j around the pin c (see Fig. 4) brings the free bottom back intoplace after the cam has passed. The brush b is operated by a spur c',projecting from the head of the pin e, whichconnects the oscillatingarms H and F. This spur is'forced against a projecting cam b at thepivoted end of the brush and compels it to sweep across the face of thechuck, carrying with it the button and dropping it over the side of therevolving table into a basket beneath.

- The handle of 'the brush l) is freely pivoted on top of the casing ofthe bolt f above the plane of the revolving table, and is held in placeover the table by a spiral spring (see Fig. 9) coiled around a screw ina recess in the pivoted part, one end of the spring extending along theinside edge of the brushdown from the bolt.

handle, the other end being fastened to the top of a post which alsoacts as a stop to the brush. The bolt f, which engages the revolvingtable in slots g to hold it rigid when the drills are at work, issecured in a casing on the stationary table B adjacent to where ihefinished button is brushed off. It is provided with a spiral spring h,which keeps its engaging end in contact with the edge of the revolvingtable. Underneath the casing of the bolt is a lever j, which is freelypivoted to the table B inside the line of the bolt, (see Fig. 2,) andpassing beneath it is adapted to remain in contact with a pin i whichpasses This lever j is operated by the pin e that connects theoscillating levers F and ll, which pin e on the return motion when therevolving table is at rest, comes in contact with the free end of thelever j, which extends toward the front, and forcing it outward releasesthe bolt f from a slot g, allowing the revolving table to move forward.

The oscillating motion is communicated to the arm or lever F (whichhangs underneath the bed-plate B, attached freely thereto by lugs andbolt d,) by the pin d, having a free sleeve at its end moving in agroove g cut in the revolving cam G. This groove is V-shaped on one halfthe surface of the cam to communicate an oscillating motion. On theother half it is concentric to allow the arm F to remain stationary, sothat the drills may have time to work safely. The arm or lever F isconnected by a pin e to the radial arm H, which is sleeved around thecentral bearing C of the revolving table. The arm F is slotted at itsouter end, so that the pin e may have free play to travel back and forthon the edge of the table A.

The tables A and B are about one inch apart. The radial arm H isdesigned to revolve the table A, which it accomplishes by a small rod w,which passes upward through the arm Il, having a head which prevents itfrom going through. It is held in place by a small spiral spring pinnedto it over the arm. This spring keeps the upper end of the rod incontact with a circular ratchet a', the edge of which is about an inchwide. The ratchetteeth correspond in number with the chucks.

Then the arms F and l-I commence to travel forward from the point wherethe connectingpin e has operated the brush for the removal of the buttonand the release of the bolt j', the revolving table being then free, therod w is resting against the vertical side of a tooth of the ratchet,and consequently as it moves forward it carries with it the revolvingtable one step, or the distance between the chucks. At this point thebolt f again shoots into a slot g in the edge of the' revolving table,forced thereto by the spring h. The arms F and 1I, having reached theirforward limit, then return, the rod w sliding over the inclined or longedge of the ratchet-tooth until it reaches the vertical part, when it isforced behind it, read y to repeat the operati on.l During this lastoperation, when the bolt f has secured the table, the drills J arebrought into play by the action of the eccentric cam E. forcing down thehanging frame L K L', to which they are attached. This frame is composedof three upright rods K, passing through bearings in the table B, twotoward the front,

one on each side, just back of the line of the feed device, and one inthe rear, back of the center. They are connected rigidlyat their upperends by the bars L L', to which the drills are attached by forkedhangers, Fig. l, and kept in place by standards secured to the table B,having adjustable arms with boxes in which the drills run. Spiralsprings around the rods K above the vbed-plate B allow the frame to beforced down by the cam E and draw it back into place. The lower ends ofthe rods K beneath the table are connected by the bars L, and made morerigid by a brace 7o from the center of the front ,bar to the rear rod.On this brace under the Veccentric cam E are a pair of wedges QI, onefixed, the other adjustable by means of a handle 71,

extending toward the front and passing through a bearing, where it maybe fastened at any desired position, the object of the wedges being tolimit the depth of the drilling.

M is a driving-shaft which transmits motion to the shaft N of themachine by sprocketwheels Z on and connecting-chain. A like motion istransmitted to the shaft N by sprocketwheel 'm' and to the blank-feed bythe equal gear-wheels P. The drills J are run by an independent belt,passing alternately on each side of the pulleys o, attached to thedrills, and thence to a dri .Tag-pulley.

O is a removable tube for blanks. Vhen filled it is inserted in theholder Q and fastened by a thumb-screw. r is a slide-plate workingunderneath the blanktube 'byithelff eccentric R on the shaft S. When thesliding plate r, which has a semicircular incut end, is drawn back toits limit by the action of the eccentric R, ablank is allowed to drop onthe underlying guide-plate,- which blank is then carried forward by thesliding plate (the guide-plate overlapping the revolving table) andplaced in its empty recess in the chuck, which has just arrived at thatpoint. The lever t is then acted upon by the eccentric cam u on shaft S,when the plunger v at the end of the lever comes down on the blank andpresses it securely in place. At this same time the cam E is forcing thedrills to work. On the drawing back of the sliding plate for anotherblank the drills are also withdrawn, and the revolving table set free isagain brought forward for another step.

T is free clutfh-wheel. T is its interlocking part feathered to theshaft and operated by the lever U, secured to the bed-plate B by lugs. Zis a hand-wheel attached to shaft N for the purpose of bringing themachine to any desired position for the placing of or changing drills orother parts.

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I am aware that a revolving table with chucks and drills working inconjunction with it is not new or original with me. Therefore I disclaimthem, except in combination with the devices which make them automaticfor the purpose designed. l

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 4is

l. A revolving table adapted to support a plurality of chucks, saidtable provided on its under side with a circular telic-t, a radial armsleeved at its inner end to the central bearing on which said tablerevolves; means secured to said radial arm adapted to engage saidcircular ratchet; a lever having a slot in one end adapted to receive apin secured to the outer end of said radial arm, in combination with acylindrical cam having an irregular groove cut around it adapted toreceive said pin, said groove being concentric on one half of` Saidcylinder cam and running semilongitudinally across and back in a V shapecourse on the other half for the purpose oi securing a long dwell (threeto one) during the drilling operation; all substantially as describedand shown.

2.' A revolving table adapted to support a plurality of chucks, saidtable provided on its under side with a circular ratchet; a radial armsleeved at its inner end to the central bearing on which said tablerevolves; means r secured to said radial arm adapted to engage fa guideadapted to bring the said circular ratchet; a lever having a slot in oneend adapted to receive pinsceured to the' outer end of said radial arm;a cylindrical cam having an irregular groove cut around it, part V shapeand part concentric to secure a dwell of at least three to one, all incombination with a locking device adapted to lock and release saidrevolving table intermittingly, operated by said oscillating lever andpin at the end of said radial arm; all substantially as described andfor the purpose set forth.

3. In a button machine, the combination of a revolving table and buttonholding 'chucks mounted on said table, with means whereby the buttons orblanks are fed upon said table;

blanks successively into a position to be engaged by a chuck, and themeans whereby said blanks are forced to assume a horizontal position insaid chucks, all substantially as described and for the purposes setforth.

4. In a button drilling machine, in combination with a reciprocatinggang of drills, a series of chucks, means for feeding blanks thereto andmeans for ejecting blanks therefrom, and mechanism whereby said blanksare fed from one drill directly to the next in turn and held stationaryduring the drilling operation. all substantially as described and shown.

5. In abutton machine,in combination with the operating mechanism, abutton-chuck supporting rotating table having an intermittent motion, areceptacle to hold the blanks in position above the plane of said tableand dropped successively, a slide arranged to guide each blank sodropped into a chuck successively, a rocking lever having a finger atone end arranged to force the button into place within said chuck, allsubstantially as described and shown.

G. In a button machine; the combination of a supporting frame; therevolving table mounted thereon; button holding chucks mounted on saidtable; vertically movable button supports carried within the jaws ofsaid chucks, whereby said buttons, after having been operated upon, areraised to a position to be brushed off above the surface of said table;means secured to said supporting .frame adapted to operate said chucksand button-supports; vertical spindles above said table and in aXialline with said chucks, said vertical spindles adapted to carry cuttingtools at their lower ends; an auxiliary frame 1 engaging the upper endsof said spindles and adapted to force said cutting tools into and out ofengagement with said buttons or blanks; means for giving said table anintermittent motion whereby said chucks are successively brought intothe vertical path of said cutting tools; a button or blank receptaclesupported above said table means for guiding the blanks successivelyinto said chucks; means for forcing said buttons to a horizontalposition; and means for operating a brush whereby the iinished buttonswhen raised to a position above the surface of said table are swepttherefrom all substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

ROBERT H. LINDSAY.

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